Bet ban hearings sidelined
Friday, March 17, 2000 | 12:23 p.m.
Representatives of the American Gaming Association said staffers for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told them there will not be hearings on the betting ban during the last week of March as had been tentatively planned.
On the House side, the date for hearings has slipped to May at the earliest, according to a spokesman for Rep. Tim J. Roemer, D-Ind., a cosponsor of the bill.
"I suspect it would be rather embarrassing to my colleagues to have these hearings during March Madness," said Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., referring to the nickname for the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament, which began Thursday.
"I would bet that two-thirds, if not more, of the Senate offices have pools betting on which teams advance in which brackets," Bryan said. "Our office has had a pool for years."
Advocates of the betting ban had been pushing for hearings to put a spotlight on the legislation while the NCAA Tournament unfolded on national television.
"It just would have been mean spirited, for lack of a better term, to have a hearing during the tournament," said Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.
But Reid downplayed the significance of the delay.
"We still have to be very alert and recognize there are large numbers of college administrators who support this bill," he said. "It's still going to be very tough for us to stop this legislation."
A spokesman for Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., who introduced the bill last month, also sought to minimize the postponement.
"I don't really see any importance whatsoever," said Erik J. Hotmire, Brownback's press secretary. "There will be hearings, and the NCAA is pressing very aggressively on this legislation."
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- CityCenter unveils Crystals high-end retail district
- No. 24 UNLV gutsy in 74-72 victory at Arizona
- Vdara exec predicts strong sales
- Sarah Palin wasn’t a disaster, but Obama is
- Freeze warning issued for LV
- Guilty plea a victory for ATF agents
- Cheney’s time to be heard is over
- Fontainebleau lenders sue construction companies over liens
- Noteworthy: More from the Trop, Cher changes, Newton on ‘CBS Sunday Morning’
- Perseverance pays off for Firefly owner
Blogs
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Superintendents want state to immediately seek Race to Top funds
Top Chef: Las Vegas
The great Jennifer debate (1 Comment)
The Kats Report
From Eva Longoria Parker to a cluster of execs, crowd takes a shine to Crystals (2 Comments)
Elsewhere
Harry Reid's recipe for getting health-care deal done (8 Comments)
UNLV in at No. 11 in SI's college hoops power rankings (3 Comments)
Top Chef: Las Vegas
Top Chef Episode 13: A few good chefs
Gray Matter
Fight weekend in Las Vegas and Thanksgiving (3 Comments)
Calendar »
- 5 Sat
- 6 Sun
- 7 Mon
- 8 Tue
- 9 Wed
-
The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale at the Pearl
The Pearl at the Palms | 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
-
Willie Nelson at Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino | 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Cash'd Out at Aliante Station
Aliante Station Casino and Hotel | 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Brooks & Dunn at the Hilton
Las Vegas Hilton
-
Ron White performs at the Mirage
Terry Fator Theatre
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati











